Agger plays down exit reports

Liverpool vice-captain Daniel Agger has dismissed suggestions that he is selling his Merseyside house and preparing to leave the club.

Agger made only 16 Premier League starts last season as he struggled for form and fitness. He lost his regular starting place after suffering a rib injury in September, and was then ruled out for a further six weeks with a calf problem sustained in January.

Agger, Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho all had stints as Martin Skrtel's central defensive partner during the campaign - but manager Brendan Rodgers is still looking to strengthen at the back.

Rodgers continues to chase a deal for Southampton central defender Dejan Lovren, who has expressed his desire to move to Anfield, despite having a £20 million-bid rejected, and that has led to suggestions that Agger's future is in doubt.

Liverpool's manager, though, has declared that he still sees the Denmark international as a key part of his plans. And Agger insisted he intends to stay - at least for now - after featuring in the 2-1 loss to his former club Brondby in a friendly on Wednesday.

Asked if he might one day return to Denmark, the 29-year-old told the Liverpool Echo: "If the time is right and everything falls into place then I wouldn't rule it out. But the timing has to be right.

"I have thought about it. A lot actually. But I'm here now and that is what I'm focused on. As for the rumours, don't believe everything you hear. My restaurants were sold four years ago and I'll be surprised and very sad if anyone has put my house up for sale."

Agger bought two restaurants - a Mexican and an Italian - in the trendy Lark Lane area of Liverpool in 2007, but sold his stake in them two years later.